Do no harm

September 10, 2018 00:30

A seminar to gather evidence of the significant harm caused to children by separating them from their mothers and families, and on which families are targeted for child removal and forced adoption, will take place on 11 September.

Hosted by MP John Mcdonnell and organised by Legal Action for Women, the event will provide a look at one of the many tragedies that immigrants experience.

In this case, separating children from their parents not only affects the stability of a family, but emotionally destabilises the children, as they do not receive a guarantee of when they can return to their parents. The British government (although also those of other countries characterised by the large influx of immigrants) seems to show no compassion for this tragedy.

The organisers of the seminar have invited experts on the subject, specialising in various areas of this issue, to provide a complete vision of what it means to enforce these separations.

The confirmed speakers are: Andy Bilson, Emeritus Professor of Social Work, University of Central Lancashire, with new research into rising levels of investigation of families by social services and of children taken ‘into care’; Victoria Childs, Psychotherapy and Counsellors Union, discussing the (lifelong) impact of separation from birth families; Radha Kothari, Clinical psychologist, on conducting research with mothers to support mothers; and Emma Lewell-Buck MP, Shadow Minister for Children and Families.

Other speakers are Lisa Longstaff, Women Against Rape, on the issue that separation can be worse than witnessing domestic violence: a New York court ruling; and Anne Neale, Legal Action for Women, Suffer the Little Children & their Mothers, discussing updated findings from the past year’s self-help case work.

The list also include Shoda Rackal, Breastfeeding Peer Supporter, on protecting the bond between mother and child; and Jean Robinson, Association for Improvement in the Maternity Services, discussing how the threat of having children taken stops mothers accessing services.